Jammu, Apr 21 (IANS): The Jammu and Kashmir government said on Wednesday that the present Covid situation in the Union Territory is challenging as the growth rate of positive cases is 8.12 per cent more than what it was last year.

Atul Dulloo, Financial Commissioner (health and medical education), told reporters that the Covid graph is rising and the situation is challenging.

"At present we have 13,400 active cases. Last year, we had 22,000 positive cases when the pandemic was at its peak.

"There were 77 deaths, but this year the growth rate is 8.12 per cent more. The mortality rate this time is 1.38 per cent in J&K. The situation is challenging this year as compared to April last year," Dulloo said.

He added, "As many as 28 cases of UK strain and other strains have been reported from Jammu, but none from Kashmir. We are conducting 40,000 tests every day."

The government has already taken a slew of measures to check the spread of the pandemic. Corona curfew has been imposed within all the municipal and local urban body limits from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Shops have been ordered to open on rotational basis. Passenger vehicles cannot carry more than 50 per cent of their capacity.